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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 





















































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COPVBIGHT 1882 A O r AANOOLPM & CO- 
















































































































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DAYBRE A Iv : 


AN EASTER POEM. 


ARY MAGDALENE, 



At the break of day, 
Wan with tears and watching, 
Hasted on her way ; 

Bearing costly spices, 

Myrrh, and sweet perfume, 
Through the shadowy garden 
To the Master’s tomb. 

Slowly broke the gray dawn : 

On her head the breeze 
Shook a rain of dew-drops 
From the cypress trees. 












6 

Rose and lily parted 
As to let her pass, 

And the violets blessed her 
From the tender grass. 


Little heed she paid them ; 

Christ, the Lord, was dead ; 
All at last was over, 

All at last was said. 


What of hope remained ? 

Black against the sky, 
Calvary’s awful crosses 

Stretched their arms on high ! 


Mary Magdalen^ 

Made her bitter moan :— 

“ From the sealed sepulchre 
Who shall roll the stone ? ” 










7 

Swift she ran, her spirit 
Filled with awe and fear; 

Wide the door stood open 
As her feet drew near! 

All the place was flooded 
With a radiance bright; 

Forth into the darkness 
Streamed a holy light. 

Down she stooped, and peering 
The dread tomb within, 

Saw a great white angel 
Where the Lord had been! 

Sore she cried affrighted— 

Who had betrayed Him ?— 

“ They have taken away my Lord ! 
Where have they laid Him ? ” 














8 


“ Nay,” the shining angel 
Calmly smiling said,— 

“ Why seek ye the living 
Down among the dead ? 

“ lie is not here, but risen ! ” 

All her soul stood still; 

Through her trembling pulses 
Ran a conscious thrill. 

yj ! . ^ , , v,i c >jl l- ' ^ ^ 

“ Mary ! ”—said a low voice ;— 

“ Rabboni ! ” answered she. 

Then life was brought to light 
And immortality ! 

Mary Magdalene, 

First of woman born 

To see the clear light streaming 
O’er the hills of morn ; 








9 

First to hail the Lord Christ, 
Conqueror of Death, 

First to bow before Him 
With abated breath ; 

First to hear the Master 

Say-,— “ From Death’s dark prison, 

From its bonds and fetters, 

Lo ! I have arisen ! 

. ‘‘ Now to God, my Father,— 

Mine and yours,—I go ; 

And because I live 
Ye shall live also ! ”— 

Didst thou grasp the meaning ?- 
Know that Death was dead ? 

That the seed of woman 

Had bruised the serpent’s head 


























































































10 

Didst thou know Messiah 

The gates of hell had broken, 
And life unto its captives 
Once for all had spoken ? 

Oh ! through all the ages, 

Every son of man, 

Be he slave or monarch, 

Born to bliss or ban,— 

Lord, or prince, or peasant, 
Jester, sage, or seer, 

Wife, or child, or mother, 

Priest, or worshipper,— 

Through the grave’s lone portals 
Soon or late had passed, 

But no sign or token 
Back to earth had cast! 


























11 

In Ramah was a voice heard 
Sounding through the years,— 

Rachel for her children 
Pouring sighs and tears ; 

Rizpah for her slain sons 
Woful vigils keeping; 

David for young Absalom 
In the chamber weeping! 

All earth’s myriad millions 
To their dead had cried, 

Empty arms outreaching 
In the silence wide, 

Yet from out the darkness 
Came nor word, nor sound, 

As the long ranks vanished 
In the black profound— 


























































Came no word till Mary 
Heard the Angel say,— 

“ Christ the Lord is risen ; 

The Lord Christ lives to-day!” 

From the empty'sepulchre 
Streamed the Light Divine; 
Grave, where is thy victory ?—- 
Where, O Death, is thine ? 

Mary Magdalene, 

Hope is born again ; 

Clear the Day-star rises 
To the eyes of men. 

Lo ! the mists are fleeing! 

Shine, O Olivet, 

For the crown of promise 
On thy brow is set! 


















13 

Lift your heads, ye mountains! 

Clap your hands, ye hills ! 
Into rapturous singing 

Break, ye murmuring rills ! 

Shout aloud, O Forests! 

Swell the song, O seas ! 
Wake, resistless ocean, 

All your symphonies ! 

Wave your palms, O tropics ! 

Lonely isles, rejoice ! 

O ye silent deserts, 

Find a choral voice I 

Winds, on mighty trumpets, 
Blow the strains abroad, 
While each star in heaven 
Hails its risen Lord ! 

—J 














































































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H 

“Alleluia! Alleluia!”— 
How the voices ring! 
“Alleluia! Alleluia!” 

Earth and heaven sing! 

Alleluia ! Christ is risen ! 

Chant His praise alway! 
From the sealed sepulchre 
Christ is risen to-day ! 


























































































































































































































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Qlrisc, for fjc is risen to-bag! 

^nb shine, for £)e is glorifieb! 
Put on il)ji beautiful arran, 

Qlub keep perpetual (Easter-tibe 



















































































































































































































































































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